Depth-indicating device



July 3l, 1928.

H. w. KING "DEPTH INDIcATING DEVICE Original Filed Aug. 30. 1919 Jzomcc IIC/Viry.

. provision of a construction which .measures i Suitably secured to the cap 6 is'the threaded Patented July 31,1928."

UNITEDI si'ryarus 1,619,222 PATENT ".QFFIcafj: i

HoRACII.l W. KING, oF ANN A RBoR, MICHIGAN, AssIGNoR To yKrim-siennes( CORPORA- TIoN, or ANN ARBoR, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION 'or MICHIGAN.A

DEPTHFINDICATING DEVICE.

Application led Ayugust`30, 1919Seria1 Naf 320,799. Renewed February 10, 1922. Serial No. 535,319.

The invention relates to devices forin- (heating the depth of liquids, and is designed for use especially in devices in which air under pressure is used to 'force a liquid from a tank. The object of the invention is the the li uid inthe ,tank by indicating upon a suitab y graduated indicator gage the resistance o ered by theliquid displaced by air under pressure; and further the provision of means forfpreventing the backward fiow 'of the liquid to the source of compressed air 1n the event that thelatter` leaks Vand is at rest. Other objects of the invention reside 1n the novel arrangements and combinations of parts as more fully hereinafter set/forth. In the drawings:V V

Figurel is a ongitudinalf sectional view partly in elevation of a construction emodying my invention; t, i yFigure 2 isa cross section on the line 2-2 Y ofl Figure 1.

My inventlon isdesigned particularly for use in structures in which `a closed tank contains the liquid to be measured and a tube adapted for the passage of Vair under pres'- sure extends into and communicates withthe liquid; kThe `air. passing through the tube displaces the liquid therein and thenV passes upvthrough the liquid and is contained in the tank outside of the tube. .The difference in the pressures of the'lair in the tank outside of the 'tube and in the tube corresponds to the height of the liquid abovethe point of'` communication of the tube therewith, and

when these pressures are transmittedto a suitably graduated indicator gage the height or if desired, the volume of liquid may be shown. The source o fcompressed air,1such as a pump, which is connected to the tube may leak, andin theevent that this is true, the liquid inthej'tank is liable to be kforced backward rinto the tube and thev connection to the pump, and might even enter the latter.

VVVith myconstruction this is prevented.` x

'11is a tank, such for instance as a gasoline v tank upona an automobile.l This tank has an e vaperture/f2 in its top through which thel tube 3 extends into the/gasoline. `The lower end 4 of this tube isopen and terminates adjacent to the bottomV of the tank 1, suitable means, such as the projections or4 ears 5 being provided engagingthe `bottom of the tank to prevent the closingof the lower end.4 of theA tube. -The space between the lower y@11d 4`of the-tube 3 and the bottom of the gasofV line tankshould be as small as possible and at the same time large enough to permit the free passage of airbeneath the tube.y 6 is the cap for' the tube 3 and engages thetop of the tank -1 and seals they opening 3 therein. t

To supply the air to the tube?, to displace vthe gasoline therein, whichalsosupplies air lfor pressure inthe tank where the gasoline is forced from the tank by air pressure, the

inner tube 14 is provided extending substan- -tially axially of the tube 3. The `low'er end v1.5 of this inner tube is open while; the upper end is secured to the cap 6 andfis .adaptedto be connected to a suitable Vsource of airk pres# sure, such as a pump, (not shown). With the construction, as thus fardescribed, `the yair is forced. through the inner'tube V14 into the outer tube 3 and displaces the gasoline therein. vThe' U-gage'lO having its legs com]- muni'cating with the tube B 'and the tanky 1 outside vthe .tube 3, indicates the` difference of e air pressuresin the tubeand in thetank out# side the tube, which pressure differential .corresponds to the hydrostatic pressureof'the gasoline inthetank, and as a consequence, the gage'lO, when suitably graduated,.cor rectly shows the lheight Vor the amount of the gasoline in theta-nk.

The gage 10 s preferably located on the dash 24 of anautomobile in afposition to be A easily seen lby 'thedriven Thel device operates equally'l satisfactorily regardless ofthe relative position o r elevation of the gasoline tank orgage. e For `thefpurpose of preventing the backward flow of the gasolinevupfthrough the inner tube 14, which air under pressure is no 4longer'beingv forced therethrough, and 1n the event that the source of the compressedj air, such as a pump, leaks, the following con;

struction is provided: 16 is a closed receptacle Withinthe outer tubeV 3 and secured thereto, as by being soldered orv Welded'to .the side wall thereof. Thisreceptacle has its bottom 17 terminating adjacent to the lower end 150i1 the inner tube 14: and contains a liquid 18, which is heavier than the gasoline. In the present instance this heavier liquid is mercury.Y 19 is a third tube having its upper end a substantial Vheight above the heavier liquid 18 and its lower end terminating near the bottom of the tank within the tube 3. This tube 19 extends through the bottom 17 of the receptacle .and has its lower end 2O open and` its uppei` end 21 communicating with the space within the receptacle l16. i

For the purpose of preventing the escape of the .heavi'erliquid- 18 into the tube 19 the upper end `of .the latter tube is obstructed, this Y obstruction comprising an apertured tube 22 engaging the upper end 21 and sun rounded Vby suitable material 23such as kid, which permits of the .passage of air therethrough.,V The tube 19 is also ofllarger diameter t'han the ytube 14.

'In operation, when the air yis forced through the tube 14 it passes'` out through i the lower end thereof, out through fthe heavier liquid18 and then passes through the kid 23 andv apertured tube 22 into'the third tube-19 and escapes from lthe lower end 2O thereof into the outer tube 3' to displace the gasoline therein. As before mentioned, the gage 10 indicates the difference of pressure in the outer tube 3 and the tank outside the tube, whereby thedepth orV amount of gasolinein the tank Vwill be shown. In the event that the air pump leaks and is not running, the gasoline will have a tendency to flow backward up through the third tube ,19 into the` receptacle 16 and then through v4the tube 14 to the pump, due to the pressure of the air i-n the tank'l outside the tube 3. 'This is prevented by means of the heavier l liquid 18 closing thelower end ot the inner tubeM, since this heavier liquid .cannot be forced into the tube V121'. to a'distance above 'the -cap of tube 3, by such pressures asl are maintained in automobile tanks, i

What I claim as my "nvention is:

'1. In a dept-h indicati l gdevice fon'liquids, .the combination with afl closedtank lcon- .taining i Aa liquid, of tube extending into the liquid and communicating therewith .at the full depth to be measured, a 'sec-Y ond tube adapted for the passage of air under pressureand extending into'said rstmentioned tube, means communicating with .the interior of said first mentioned tube and containing .a liquid aththelowe'r end ot said,

,Second tube-,for closing the same, and means connected to said first, mentioned tube and l'said tank above the level of the liquid concontained therein.

'2. yIn aidepth indicatingdevice *for liquids,

the combination with a: closed tank `contain- -a` liquid, otra tube extending into the liquid Va-nd communicating therewith at the lfull depth to, beV measured, a second tube adapted Vfor the passagegot air `under pres-- sure and `extending into said tirstanentioned tube, receptacle communicating with said first-mentioned tube and containing a liquid heavier than'theliquid to be'measured, said heavier liquid surrounding the lowerend o1 saidA second tube, means ier preventing Vthe esca-pe of said heavier liquid from. said re-V ceptacle intof saidirst mentioned tube', means for 'indicating the` diiierences in air pressures in said first mentionedtube andyin said Atank above the level `of ,thejliquidcontained there in, and pressure transmitting means between said indicating means' and vtir-st lmentioned tube and 'tank above the'lev'el of the liquid contained therein,

3. In a depth indicating device for liquids, the V combination with a tankv containing a liquid, of 'a tube extending 'into the liquid. and communicating tlierewithy near the bottom of said tank, ai closed receptacle in said lirst-mentioned'tube containing a "liquid heavier than the liquidto-"be measured, a second tubeadaptedrfor the passageof air Vunder pressure and extending into `said rst- Y mentioned ftube and closed receptacle vand terminating' in' said 'heavier "liquid, a third tube having one end in communication with vthe space enclosedby'said receptacle and the other end terminating 4insidels'aid tiret-mentioned tube and near the bottom of said tank, land Y, a pressure gage `communicating with saidirst-mentioned tube. f

4C. In a ,depth indicating device for liquids, the combinationwithY a closed tank containing a liquid, of a substantially vertical tube extending into the'liquid and communicating ytherewith near, the bottom of Ysaid tank, `a closed receptacle in said tube containing a liquid heavier than the liquid to ,be meas'- cured, a second substantiallyvertical tube adapted [for the1 passage ofair under pres sure and extending into said yrst-mentioned tube and receptacle and V'termin'ating near the bottomof said receptacle, a third substantially vertical tube having its upper end ,communicating with the interior of said closed Vreceptacle above the liquid therein andi Vits lower open end terminating inside said tirst-mentioned tube inear thebottom .of said tank, means at the upper .end of said third tube ,for preventingfthe passage of the heavier liquid thereinto, a pressurev gage, and pressure transmitting' means' between said 'pressure gage andiirst mentioned tube and pressure gage and tankabove the level of Vthe liquid contained therein. l

5,. Ina depth `indicating'devicefor liquids,

the combination' with a tube having a closed upper end and extending "intov and communibeing measured, and a pressure indicator connected with said tube, of means extending within said tube for conducting` air thereinto to dis lace the liquid therein down to.

its point o communication with the liquid, said air conducting means' including means within said tube for preventing the backward flow of the -liquid being measured through said air conducting meansl when the air is no longer being conducted there-v through.

6. In a depth indicating device for liquids,

the combination with a tank containing a liquid, of means forming achamber open at 15 its lower end and communicating with the end opening into the heavier liquid, said tube Vbeing adapted for the passage of airunder pressure, and means closing the communication between said receptacle` and chamber to the passage of the heavier liquid and permitting the passage `of the air under pressure.` f

In testimony whereof I aiiiX my signature.

HORACE-W. KING. 

